Why Pros Are Better Than You At Guitar

Summary

This video challenges traditional guitar practice by emphasizing the importance of playing music over repetitive exercises. Through insights from guitar legends like Marty Friedman, Guthrie Govan, Steve Vai, and John Mayer, the video encourages musicians to focus on musical creativity, improvisation, and live performance to improve their skills. Key advice includes practicing with a sense of urgency, experimenting with different techniques, and allowing melody to guide your chord choices. The video stresses the importance of making practice musical, suggesting that techniques should be incorporated into original compositions to keep them engaging and creative.

Takeaways

• 😀 Playing music is more important than doing boring exercises. Focus on creating memorable music, not just technical drills.
• 😀 Marty Friedman doesn't like practicing traditional exercises but believes in practicing through live performances where mistakes matter.
• 😀 John Mayer emphasizes the importance of playing the music that's in your head, helping you improvise and create unique leads.
• 😀 Playing in a band with deadlines and live shows can significantly improve your skills, especially in genres like blues.
• 😀 Guthrie Govan doesn't focus on endless exercises; instead, he embraces playing diverse music, from movie themes to complex guitar lines.
• 😀 Practicing techniques through real musical situations, like learning cool licks from movies, makes practicing more enjoyable and effective.
• 😀 Steve Vai and Steve Morse use techniques like limiting themselves to specific notes or strings to push their boundaries and create new ideas.
• 😀 Challenge yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone. Practice only within specific positions or with limited notes to develop creativity.
• 😀 John Mayer’s approach of singing the notes you want to play helps bridge the gap between improvisation and musical expression.
• 😀 Tim's approach to practicing techniques includes making the practice musical, such as composing a song to practice a specific technique, like thumping.

Q & A

Why does the speaker argue that guitarists don't need to waste time on boring exercises?

The speaker believes that guitarists can improve by focusing on playing music instead of repetitive exercises. They emphasize that live performances, songwriting, and improvisation are more valuable for growth and musicianship.

What makes Marty Friedman stand out compared to other guitarists like Tom Quail or Alex Uchings?

Marty Friedman stands out because he creates memorable music, even though he doesn't follow the same rigorous practice routines as Tom Quail or Alex Uchings. While those guitarists are skilled at complex techniques, Marty focuses on playing music, with live performance serving as his form of practice.

How does live performance contribute to a guitarist's improvement?

Live performance creates a sense of urgency, as guitarists need to prepare for gigs and play songs repeatedly. This type of practice helps them refine their skills in a real-world context, which is seen as more effective than endless exercises.

What role does improvisation play in improving guitar skills, according to the speaker?

Improvisation plays a crucial role in improving guitar skills by pushing guitarists to take risks and play outside their comfort zones. This helps develop creativity and confidence, and it’s a key part of achieving a higher level of musicality.

Why does the speaker suggest learning movie themes or cinematic music?

Learning movie themes and cinematic music exposes guitarists to fresh ideas that are not commonly heard in mainstream music. It also encourages them to practice techniques in a musical context, making the learning process more enjoyable and applicable.

What is the trick that Steve Vai and Steve Morse use to enhance their playing?

Steve Vai and Steve Morse use focused exercises that limit themselves to a specific set of notes, strings, or positions. By sticking to a smaller range, they are forced to think creatively, which leads to new musical ideas and a deeper understanding of the instrument.

How does John Mayer’s advice on practicing music in your head help guitarists?

John Mayer suggests practicing by playing the music that’s in your head. This approach helps guitarists overcome the struggle of arranging notes into a lead or lick by focusing on the melody and letting the guitar follow the vocalized musical ideas.

What is the importance of singing the notes you want to play, according to the speaker?

Singing the notes you want to play helps bridge the gap between your musical ideas and your guitar playing. It trains the guitarist to think melodically and translates vocalized ideas into their instrument, improving both composition and lead playing.

What can guitarists learn from playing along with backing tracks, as suggested by the speaker?

Playing along with backing tracks helps guitarists practice soloing in a musical context, making it more like real-life performance rather than isolated exercises. It’s a way to explore new ideas and improve improvisational skills.

What is the 'challenge of the week' in the script, and how does it help guitarists?

The 'challenge of the week' is to pick a technique you’ve been meaning to learn and write a song to practice it. This forces guitarists to make their practice musical and creative, instead of just focusing on mechanical exercises, which leads to more meaningful improvements in their playing.